Prisoners of Sol - Girret Storm Riders (Prologue)

The Storm Riders recruitment office smelled of windswept air, yet its shadowed interior was a safe haven in the middle of the sweltering desert. Simply reaching its doors on the land of a military base, where vehicle travel was permitted, was a test of character in itself. I tested the air one more time with a flitting tongue, before slithering forward. I observed the displays, the first of which was a massive hologram with the most famous heroes in Girret history, proclaiming: Create your legacy.

The trek to get here will filter out the unworthy, since service requires equal measures of courage and tenacity. I know I'm ready to commit and to endure a grueling training. I don't just want to walk among the heroes in this hall, but I want to surpass their deeds with my own. I must trust in the strength of my character.

My father had been a drunkard for the whole of my childhood, so I hadn't had a good example to follow or a family name that could be spoken of with honor. I always hated him so, wanting to distance myself from the embarrassment that shadowed our family name. I wished that my given name would be spoken with a reverent flick of the tongue, and I would have to work five times as hard to outrun my shameful heritage. Being a Storm Rider just might prove to the world, convincingly, that I was more than my direct relatives; it would assure my own heart by cementing how different I was.

"Storm Riders sail into any danger, voluntarily. They are given no orders, only the chance at heroism and glory," the second pedestal announced, as I walked deeper into the hall. "Those who will take any risk, and go where no one else will, are the ones remembered. Those who survive are immortal. Will it be you?"

Excitement swelled in my chest as I weaved my body across the floor, poking out a few legs to push myself along. I could imagine myself cresting a dune with rescued souls; there was nothing more meaningful than saving lives at the risk of one's own! I knew there was nothing that could frighten me. When the time came, I was certain I wouldn't be a coward. Every mission that I was given, I vowed to take it. I'd turn none down, even if it cost me the very breath in my lungs!

The third holographic display lit up, showing Storm Riders slithering through fire: they looked badass, like everything I admired and longed to be. "The original Storm Rider, the heroic, mythical Bneria, set the example of blocking oneself off from fear. She walked in the humble service of the people, bringing about their wishes and safety. As the cyclical sandstorms swept across Doros and threatened to destroy civilization, like they did without fail every 4 years, she was always there. She trusted the people to speak her name in turn."

Whether she was a real figure or one whose great deeds had been exaggerated in myth over time, Bneria's deeds survived to this day! The entire Storm Riders organization existed to follow in her slithersteps. Many things were forgotten in the sandstorms of time, but did I dare to have the pride to think I could be as memorable as her? In my soul, I craved to be a protector, as she was. The contradiction of craving admiration and respect from the entire world, and knowing that an honorable Girret would never share his own legend, nagged at me. My deeds had to speak for themselves, while my tongue would reject their praise.

"The sands have claimed many of our finest Storm Riders, who died in the hope of saving others, and we remember them as one." The final display before the desk lit up, a memorial of Storm Rider names who had fallen in the service that scrolled for a hauntingly long time. None were ever taken down, but it did strike me with sorrow how many had succumbed to the risky job. It wasn't for the faint of heart or the ordinary citizen. I couldn't lose my nerve, not now. "When a Storm Rider sets out into nature's gullet, it's with the knowledge that each mission holds and hides dangers; each mission could be the last. They may fall on a corner of Doros that they do not know and have never seen. They are called to do it willingly, bound by unbreakable honor and resolve."

My mannerisms were a bit more subdued in light of the grim death toll, but it did little to dissuade me. I'd already come this far willingly to pay the ultimate price, for the simple chance at greatness and redemption. There was something, which confounded me, that enthralled me about the risk; I could all but taste the thrill in the air, and feel the adrenaline coursing through my blood as I plunged ahead in the most harrowing scenarios. The recruiter at the desk beckoned me forward, and his eyes gleamed with intrigue as I stepped forward without my hesitation. Perhaps that last mural was a test to see if I held any reservations.

I don't. I belong to the Storm Riders; I will tackle missions for them for as long as I can muster, and for as long as my personal honor dictates. When the cycle comes back, I will be tireless and I will be ready.

"So, are you looking to join the Storm Riders, young man?" the recruiter asked.

I drew myself to full height and pressed my head over the counter. "I would very much like that, sir. Whatever the trials and taxes on my physical body and my will, they won't steer me from this path. I know that this is where I belong. This is where I want to stake my reputation."

"You do seem to have the spirit of a Storm Rider already! Some people are just born for it, and I think you might be one of them. You said the exact words I like to hear...so very well then. Let us begin the enlistment process. What is your name, son?"

I flitted my tongue out, meeting his shrewd eyes with pride. "Redge."

"Well, well, Redge. Welcome to your new home."

Gaining acceptance to the Storm Riders was the first step on a long path of proving myself, but I was excited to have gotten my tail in the door. The mantra I would repeat until I got onto active duty was that I would never turn a mission down, and that would be my legacy. I hoped that I could become a mythical figure of this organization in due time.

Next

A/N - The prologue of the new series! A young Redge, eager to outlive his father's dishonor, sets out to the middle of the desert to join the Storm Riders; he hears the organization's promises and how they operate, and doubles down on his commitment despite the risks. All missions are voluntary, but Redge vows to take any mission, no matter how dangerous. What do you think of the Storm Riders organization, as they set on to rescue people during once every 4 year storms? What do think of Redge's motives for joining the Riders, and whether he'll be able to live up to his promise? How does he compare to the Redge we see in the modern day in the main story, and what, if anything, will change him?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting!